[TheRealThing]

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Further, I oppose the death penalty on the same grounds: the compelling interest of the state to value life restrains it from taking it. This whole business of measuring the value of life based on innocence or guilt? Ridiculous and inconsistent.

Here is the basis for the death penalty:

Genesis 9:5-6 (KJV)
5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

Of course I knew you would reject God's own assessment the pinnacle of His own creation, man.
Romans 6:23 (KJV)
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now I would be perfectly happy to do an expositional walk through all of this using Scripture, but I'm just going to say it in my own words and make the appropriate citings. All men are born outside of Christ. They are dead in trespass and sin. Eph 2:1 (KJV)

The gift of God however, is eternal life, but only for those who qualify. The only way any man can qualify, is to realize that he could not EVER merit salvation, he has to humble himself before God believing that Jesus His Son. And further that Jesus sacrificed His own life on the cross. Thusly offering up His life in sacrificial death which satisfies all men's sin debt. Because as referenced above in Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death. In other words all men deserve eternal separation from God but through the action of Christ, if we choose to accept it, we are reconciled to Him. Col 1:20 (KJV)

At the heart of salvation is this remarkable truth, God certainly would not have allowed His own Son to die on the cross if there were any other way. The penalty for sin (wages) is death, or better for the sake of this conversation, (eternal banishment to Hell). The Lord paid our debt by dying in our place. That's the 'good news.' And that is the measure of any life because every life is based on "innocence or guilt" as you put it. And that is why I implore anyone reading this NOT to listen to one word Sombrero tells you about God's gift of salvation.

And here's why. Hebrews 9:27 (KJV)
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: